Grain growers are being encouraged to beat the autumn rush for planting fertilisers by picking up their requirements early this season.

Incitec Pivot Fertilisers’ broadacre marketing manager, Nicole de Courcy Cann, said growers typically pick up monoammonium and diammoniam phosphate products (MAP and DAP) plus, Granulock around the time of an autumn rainfall break.

“At this time, we often see peaks in daily demand resulting in delays for customers when outloading capacity is exceeded,” she said.

Ms de Courcy Cann is encouraging growers to arrange to pick up fertiliser before the peak.

“One option is to pick up fertiliser as a back load after a grain delivery,” she said.

“As well as saving time, growers will be better prepared for the season, whenever the break comes.”

Inctec’s prompt comes as South Australian farmers, fertiliser dealers and transport contractors recently joined the company to celebrate the official opening of a new $25 million distribution facility by in Port Adelaide.

The purpose-built facility can store 55,000 tonnes of fertilisers and despatch safely and efficiently at up to 300 tonnes/hour.

Ms de Courcy Cann said high quality planting fertilisers, like Granulock and MAP had good storage characteristics and could be stored for an extended period in most on-farm facilities.

Incitec Pivot Fertilisers had quality fertilisers including Granulock Z, Granulock SS, MAP, DAP and urea available at its facilities and ready for diacross southern Australia.

“We also have an extensive shipping program planned to ensure new stocks of fertilisers arrive in a timely manner,” she said.

“We urge growers to beat the rush by taking early delivery of their cropping fertilisers.”

President of Incitec Pivot Fertilisers, Jamie Crough, and executive chairman of property development business Commercial and General, Jamie McClurg, at the official opening of the new Port Adelaide Primary Distribution Centre.

Meanwhile, Incitec Pivot Fertilisers president, Jamie Crough, said the new Port Adelaide site was a big vote of confidence in SA farmers, dealers and transport operators, often family businesses, supporting them to earn valuable income and export revenue for the State’s economy.

The 17,000 square metre complex is designed to streamline service and deliver faster turnaround times for fertiliser pick-ups, particularly at peak times when drivers want to be back on the road as quickly as possible.

“Facilities like these are really the engine rooms which help drive farmers’ crops and pastures and Australian agriculture at large,” Mr Crough said.

While the facility was years in the planning, it took only six months to build, using 16,000 cubic metres of concrete, 400 tonnes of steel and 125t of specially treated timber that resists corrosion by fertilisers.